Aesthetic Psychological Transformation and the Perception of Qiyun in Calligraphy and Painting: Aesthetic Empathy, Inner Imitation, and the Alleviation of Anxiety and Psychological Stress
Ting Pan¹, Tongtong SunAbstract
Objective
This study examines how aesthetic psychology transformation in calligraphy and painting affects people's mental health through aesthetic empathy and inner imitation. It investigates how embodied simulation underlies viewers' and practitioners' perception of qiyun, reducing anxiety, depressive symptoms, and psychological stress. The objective is a psychiatric framework for understanding qiyun perception as a mental health resource for individuals.
Subjects and Methods
This study analyzes qiyun perception through embodied simulation and aesthetic empathy. Psychiatric frameworks include: embodied simulation as practitioners' emotion regulation countering depressive rumination; sustained attention as viewers' stress reduction inducing flow; and imitative brush practice as learners' behavioral activation restoring agency. A two-process model examines how aesthetic psychology transformation reshapes individuals' qiyun perception.
Results
Qiyun perception produces significant mental health outcomes. Embodied resonance activates viewers' and practitioners' emotion regulation, reducing anxiety. Sustained attention to line and ink induces flow, lowering perceived stress. Imitative practice restores learners' agency, countering helplessness. However, aesthetic transformation shifts balance from resonance toward appraisal—perception becomes less embodied, potentially compromising therapeutic efficacy.
Conclusions
Qiyun perception functions as a dual-edged mental health resource—offering anxiety reduction through embodied resonance and flow, yet risking therapeutic attenuation through detached appraisal. Preserving embodied conditions is essential for maximizing individuals' benefits. These findings inform calligraphy-based interventions for people with anxiety and depression. Future research should examine dose-response relationships between embodied aesthetic engagement and psychiatric outcomes.
Corresponding Author
Tongtong Sun, Chinese National Academy of Arts, Beijing, China.